by Maisah Outlaw
 

My host father told me that the two things a lady never has
are dirt under her fingernails,
and hair under her arms
 

The armpit
The center of funk and feminine rebellion
Hair escapes the follicles like slick whiskers or kinky activists
To keep them she labels herself a masochist
The image of her evoking raised fists
 

But am I a martyr?
The corporation says shave it
Your best friend says wax it
Nair says...burn it
What do you say?
Why do you say?
Do you reject your hair because you recall your host father's look of dismay?

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Submitted for Politics of Body Hair / Dec 2016 call for submissions
Blog post thumbnail image taken from http://i-am-madelynn.tumblr.com/post/36489568200/hairy-where-i-wanna-be